The European Union made a statement on the elections in Georgia.

The Central Election Commission of Georgia must take into account the conclusions of the ODIHR/OSCE observers regarding the parliamentary elections in Georgia, make efforts to eliminate all identified violations, and restore citizens' trust in the electoral process.

This is stated in a joint statement by the European Commission and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

"On Saturday, October 26, voters in Georgia voted in the parliamentary elections. The EU closely monitored the events leading up to these parliamentary elections. Over the past months, the people of Georgia have demonstrated a commitment to democratic values and the European path of their country. According to the preliminary findings of the international election observation mission, led by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR/OSCE), election day was generally well organized and administered orderly, but was accompanied by a tense atmosphere, frequent violations of voting secrecy, and procedural violations," the statement reads.

The statement noted that intimidation and pressure on voters had a negative effect on citizens' trust in the electoral process. These circumstances, along with attempts to track voter actions on election day, raised concerns about the ability of some voters to vote without fear of retribution.

According to international observers, there were recorded unequal conditions for election participants, a polarized and tense atmosphere of the electoral process, as well as the negative impact of recently adopted legislative amendments on voting procedures.

"We urge the Central Election Commission of Georgia and other authorities to fulfill their duties and conduct a swift, transparent, and independent investigation of election violations and claims. These violations need to be agreed upon and resolved. This is a necessary step to restore trust in the electoral process," the statement says.

The EU calls on Georgia to implement democratic, comprehensive, and meaningful reforms that will meet the key principles of European integration.